The Singapore Statement on Research Integrity was released. As the site notes it was the product of the collective effort and insights of the 340 individuals from 51 countries who participated in the 2nd World Conference on Research Integrity. These included researchers, funders, representatives of research institutions (universities and research institutes) and research publishers. Liz Wager and Sabine Kleinert, the chair and vice chair of COPE respectively, participated in this conference. Sabine Kleinert comments on the statement in the Lancet this week.

The trial concluded of a researcher convicted of tampering with another researcher's work. The report in Nature lays out the difficulties of such investigations; eventually the culprit was only caught after being seen on hidden cameras installed in the lab.

There was much coverage of the decision to restrict sales in the US of Avandia (Rosiglitazone – a drug for Type 2 diabetes) and ban sales in the UK (or to be precise suspend the “marketing authorisations for the rosiglitazone-containing anti-diabetes medicines Avandia, Avandamet and Avaglim.”. Ed Silverman at Phamalot discussed many of the issues, noting “In the end, the story is as much about Glaxo and the profession of medicine as it is about Avandia.”

An academic analysis published in PLoS Medicine a couple of weeks ago of ghostwriting papers relating to HRT released during litigation against Wyeth attracted a response from Wyeth. (Note, in the interests of transparency I am the Chief Editor at PLoS Medicine.)